Here’s how I’ve been celebrating my completion of radiation and chemotherapy lately: I took us to Las Vegas. I mean, Buck and me. Peter, unfortunately, still has to attend college, despite his arguments to the contrary.

Out here, the weather is sunny and in the low 70′s. In Ohio, it’s gray and freezing and a little snowy. Out here, I have a panoramic view not only of the strip but of most of Las Vegas and the mountain range, whatever its name is, that is just to the west of the city. I have just watched it emerge from the blackness as the terminator flew westward towards us and brought the daylight behind it.

I did go to the blackjack table last night, but my mathematical sensibilities overcame my compulsive tendencies and I left the table ahead by 5 whole dollars. Buck was slightly disappointed by that, because he was hoping I would lose all my money and return to the room in tears, having learned an expensive but valuable lesson. No such luck, sweetie. Life on the casino floor takes on a different aspect when you know that “The House always wins” is not just a bitter saying but a mathematically provable truth.

Enough for now. I have to figure out what spa treatments to get. There’s a kind of Japanese one where they point you in different directions and use rituals. Just getting a massage seems so passé all of a sudden.